CS201 : Discrete Mathematics

Semester II, 2010-11, CSE, IIT Kanpur

Practice Sheet for generating functions

1. Find a generating function S(z) such that

X  r  r

[z n ]S(z) =
k n 2k
k

2. This problem, whose parts are independent, gives practice in manipulation

P of generating func-
tions. We assume that A(z) = n an z n , B(z) = n bn z n , C(z) = n cn z n , and that the
P P
coefficients are zero for negative n.
P
(a) If cn = j+2kn aj bk , express C in terms of A and B.
Pn
(b) If nbn = k=0 2k ak /(n k)!, express A in terms of B.
Pn
(c) If r is a real number, and an = k=0 r+k


k b(nk)P , express A in terms of B; then use your
formula to find coefficients fk (r) such that bn = nk=0 fk (r)a(nk) .
3. The second-order fibonacci numbers hgn i are defined by the recurrence

g0 = 0; g1 = 1;

gn = gn1 + gn2 + Fn
where Fn is the nth Fibonacci number. Find a generating function for hgn i.
4. Let A(z) be the generating function of ha0 , a1 , a2 , a3 , i. Express n an/m z n in terms of
P
A, z, and m.
5. If G(n) is a generating function for hgn i, then
(a) what is the generating function for sequence hhn i, where
X
hn = gk1 gk2 gkm
k1 , , km 0
k1 + k2 + k3 + + km = n

where m is a fixed positive integer.

(b) what is the generating function for sequence hhn i, where
X
hn = k1 k2 km
k1 , , km 0
k1 + k2 + k3 + + km = n

where m is a fixed positive integer.

(c) what is the generating function for sequence hhn i, where
X X
hn = k1 k2 km
m>0 k1 , , km 0
k1 + k2 + k3 + + km = n